History of the Beep Beep

[FJ and G]

First of all, I'd never buy one because I'm not modeling something that never existed but for those who don't care, I think it's a great addition to your layout and at a reasonable price.

In this May CTT, on the last page, is a review of the Kusan/Williams "Beep" of the 1950s. Several things were surprising about the review.

First, I didn't realize that the beep had been produced before (I need to bone up more on the historical aspect of toy trains). Appears that the licensing got passed from Kusan (which sounds like a Korean company), then to Williams, and now to Walter M., who has been making numerous posts on the other forum. Can anyone simply copy an earlier model or would there be a royalty fee to pay to someone?

Second, I was surprised at how cheap a vintage beep is. In excellent condition, it is a mere $45; $5 less than the current beep. Those who originally purchased a vintage beep decades ago as an investment would be sorely disappointed at their ROI.

So, the little beep has been around a while; now, it just needs a string of eggliners to tow around and it will look complete.

Dave Vergun

[cnw1995]

That is interesting. I heard the Beep - produced by Toy Truck Collectors http://www.toytruckcollector.com/ - as the Lionel engine on the Lionel flatbed truck was from Kusan, but never saw any older ones. TTC still has some of these engines. I would love these engines - there's a plethora of new road names - but I'm leery because the first ones hadmajor problems pulling trains through 027 curves -- something Walter Mauch has yet to address on a forum. Allegedly, the second run of road-names has longer 'slots' cut for the coupler to swing a bit more. FYI, Ready Made Toys website for the Beeps is http://store.yahoo.com/readymadetoys/o-gauge-diesel.html

[FJ and G]

Walter has a habit of posting new offerings and then not answering follow-up questions. He's using the board as an advertising tool. I guess it is his perogative. Anyway, it looks as tho he's made a product that can make a lot of folks happy as well as bring in the bucks, in the spirit of entrepreneurship.

[alton6]

David, my understanding is that the "Beep's" pedigree dates from the early 1960's. Kusan, actually an American company in the midwest, considered it a basic switcher for a line of inexpensive sets. I think it was 2-rail and thought to be something of a gutless wonder.

Williams used to make these in a upgraded version. Some dies get bought and sold...

I'd like to have one of these if it were offered in CB&Q or a related name. Kind of cute in a gawky way.

Carl

[bluelinec4]

The Williams beep was offered in the 1980's as part of a 3 car starter set. The beep had two motors but did not have an EUnit. The couplers were fixed. It was offered in Pennsylvania, Conrail, Santa Fe and Union Pacific. The paint jobs were verrry simple. They actually cast the plastic in the color of the engine with no paint. There were very small decals and very little detail. I sold the Conrail Version and the Pennsy version on Ebay for 55.00 each

Ben

[cnw1995]

Well whaddaya know -- on another forum, Walter just indicated that the second run was modified to work on 027 curves...

[FJ and G]

Ben, if they cost $50 each an you sold it for $55, sounds like you made out like a bandit.

I once calculated that you can buy 40 beeps for the price of one Lionel Acela.

[Anonymous]

so "beeps" are a type of small switcher?

[alton6]

Well, perhaps more of a type of locomotive haircut.

Carl

[Anonymous]

hee hee, they look like a cut down gp-7 with just two axles now that i look again![(-D]

[Anonymous]

I think i'll by a Southern beeeeeeep just for kicks & giggles. [swg]
Keith

[Anonymous]

D. Vergun;

If memory serves correctly, Kusan was an outgrowth/spinoff/successor of
AMT/Kris Model Trains. I have a few pieces of Kusan stuff (plastic) that are
really good copies of Lionel items such as a plastic rendering/approximation
of a 6464-type boxcar and a plastic copy of the Lionel Alco PA loco. I also
have a Kusan caboose that is a dead-on copy of the Marx/K-Line/Taylor Made
Trucks caboose found on the collector series of Lionel-licensed rolling stock
on trailer-trucks. I also bought several Williams "Beeps" from Nicholas Smith
at York about 16-18- years ago. They had better motor-units in them than what
is out there now. Mine didn't even come with traction tires (not needed) they
had lead ballast in the locos for traction and work quite well. I took one of the
Williams motor-units and snapped it directly into my Lionel Beep and it is just
fine! The only problem with the early model Beeps was that the handrails were
very fragile and didn't stand handling too much. I see that the newer ones are
metal, which look great and are more sturdy.

Oh yeah...Kusan is NOT an import/Korean company. It was an acronym for a
combination of names (similar to DorFan/FanDor) but I don't recall exactly
what the names were. The TCA Quarterly had some articles on Kusan and its
history some time back, but it would take me a LONG time to research all my
old Quarterlies. Maybe another TCA'er can help here.

[Anonymous]

D. Vergun;

Those little "Beeps" look just great pulling a string of Lionel ore cars
and a four-wheel caboose! I even cut down an old Lionel plastic oil
car and flat car to make up an entire "shorty" train. The grand children
love it! You can also use the Lionel four-wheel gondolas and dump
cars from the "Kick-a-Poo" starter set. Would be a neat concept for a
starter set for really young railroaders, or even a "short-line" industrial
road.

[ChiefEagles]

I just remembered, I have one of the blue Beeps from the 80's stored in a box. Use it for a little coal mine switcher on old layout. Had forgotten about them until I saw the new issue of CTT. How many folks are going to buy a new one?

[Anonymous]

I can't resist. The 5-year-old in me (and my real 5-year-old son) - we gotta have one. We've been running around the house yelling BEEEP BBEEEEPPP. The Mrs. thinks we're nuts. We are, of course. ;>)

Chris L.

[Anonymous]

I purchased the Pennsy version from RMT last fall and just recently purchased a CNJ version. Great for my "local" that works the industries spur on my layout.

Not much of a puller, but usually only assigned to pull my operating milk car, log dump, and the flat that goes with the Lionel forlklift platform, plus a MTH bobber caboose.

[cnw1995]

Where did you find the CNJ version?

[Anonymous]

cnw1995 -

I got mine from Al's Coventry Trains in Pottstown PA. It is one of the limited runs being produced for Emery Distributors, a toy train wholesaler in Easton Pa. The special runs include a green Reading, 2 different CNJ, one orange and blue, and one green and yellow, and a Bethlehem Steel unit.

You can order from Al's @ 610-323-7792. He's a member of TCA and a good guy!

[Anonymous]

I ordered an N&W Beep back in late January, but RMT told me the new stuff won' t be in until mid-April or later. They look like fun little engines. The video on this site shows one pulling quite a few cars. I'm sure if EMD could have produced a good-puller and good-seller that there'd be a prototype!

Concerning Kusan, I don't know much about the company, but its last home, unless I'm mistaken, was right here in Music City. I have a friend who has a Kusan set that he received as a child. Kusan did use 2-rail track.